Oil-well pump



April 21, 1931. w. F. MCMAHON OIL WELL PUMP Filed July 26, 1928 [NVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 .UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j OIL-WELL .PUMP

Application led .Tuly 26,

This invention relates in general to an oil well pump and relates morespecifically to a new and novel ejector apparatus for raising liquids oriuids.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple eicient means forutilizing a continuous iiow of fluid (substantially identical with theiluid to be moved) as a motor medium for raising fluid or the like froma bored hole or the like in the earth.

Another object is tok provide a pumping means with a nozzle and aventuri, the entrance to the venturi, adjacent the nozzle tip,

being unobstructed by a check valve and in the compartment, of thedevice, having access to the oil deposit in the bored hole or the likein the earth.

A further object is to-provide a pumping device with a nozzle and aventuri that will be operated by a liquid, the tip of the nozzle and theadjacent opened end of the venturi being located in a compartment whichhas free access to the oil deposit through the side walls of the deviceand said device having no check valves or valves of any type.

Another object is to provide a pumping device comprising a nozzle and aVenturi means, both of which can be assembled in the said device orremoved from the said device in axial alignment with the device.

Another object is to provide a pumping device that will be operated by aliquid and comprising a nozzle and a venturi, the entrance to the saidnozzle being in a chamber and encased by a screen located in the saidchamber, the said chamber being encased by solid side walls in thedevice.

As it is known, the present plunger pumps for oil wells are vervineicient due to the 0 gas in the oil deposit and the sand content inthe oil, and nozzle pumps operating with air are impractical in raisingoil containing a relatively high percentage of water because the airunder a high velocity emulsions the liquid. Also in an` ejector pump itis impossible to lift a check valve due to the high pressure caused bythe head of liquid in the pump. My present improvement overcomes all ofthe objectionable features heretofore encountered and by using a liquidas a motive 1928. Serial No. 295,606.

H uid coupled with a simple construction designed to withstand highressures and eliminating check valves an providing a construction thatcan rest on a stratum in the well and also by having the entrance to thepump through the side walls, and further by providing a constructionwhich is self contained and in a central ali ment with concentricconduits, I am ena led to eiciently raise oil rom narrow bored holes inthe earth, by cooperating with a double acting pump on the surface ofthe earth.

A clear conception of an embodiment of the invention and of theoperation of devices constructed in accordance therewith, may be had byreferring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification in which like reference characters designate the same orsimilar 'parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, through the pump at FF ofFigures, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal sectional view, through the pump at Gr-G. ofFigures, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, showing the completel assembly of the pumpand the two concentric conduits that lead to the surface of the earth.

Fig. 3, is a transverse section at A--A, showing the central alignmentof the nozzle and venturi with the tivo conduits.

Fig. 4, is a transverse section through the pump at B-B, showing therelation an' shape of the motive fluid passageways witl the venturi. v

Fig. 5, is a transverse section through the pump at Cl-C, showing theentrance to the pump from the oil deposit.

Fig. 6, is a transverse section through the pump at 1D-D, showing themotive fluid passageways and the nozzle and the means 90 for securingthe screen over the entrance to the pump.

Fig. 7, is a transverse section through the pump at F-F, showing theenclosed chamber located below the entrance to the pump 95 from the oildeposit and the screen which is adapted to screen the entrance to thenozzle.

' Fig. 8, is the end view of the pump, showing the end plug.

At this time it may be well to note that 100 throughout thespecification I will term the characterof reference 1, as a venturi,however ns this nomenclature is more or less limited in its scope, I donot care to be limited to a venturi as my ,improvement for the want of abetter term, as it may be termed an actuating cylinder.

Referring in detail to the characters ot" reference marked upon thcdrawing-f. L represents the outer conduit which has thremled connection3 with the pump body 4. and leads therefrom to the pump on the surt'aee.of the earth. 5 is the inner conduit which hasI threaded connection (iwith the pump body -l and is adapted to convey the toi-ring liquid withthe fiuid raised, to the surface of the earth. As the construction andoperation ot' the )ump and tank and piping system on the sur ace of theearth is well known and shown in nl v copending application bearingSerial No. 104,159, filed April 23, 1920, I will only describe the partspertaining to my improvement as all other description would besuperfluous. The conduits 2 and 5 are made up of sections coupledtogether and extend from the pump body 4 to the surface of the earth.

A liquid substantially the same as that liquid being pumped is forceddown between conduits 2 and 5 to the pump body 4, through thepassageways 7 which are cored 1n the body 4 und are of oblong curvaturein shape, being concentric with the centre of the body 4, to the chamber8, through screen 0 to the nozzle 10, thence through nozzle 10, throughthe venturi 1, to the conduit 5.

To create a partial vacuum in the compartment 11, relative to the highhead of the liquid in the conduit 5, I make the area of my nozzle 10 ofsuch a size so that the quantity of liquid pumped by the force pump onthe surface of the earth will create a velocity, in the said liquid atthe nozzle 10, which will be equivalent to that velocity which would becaused by the head of a column of liquid from the surface of the earthor greater, to

the,pump body 4 in cooperation with my venturi 1. It is obviouslydependent upon this creation of a partial vacuum in the compartment 11,that oil is raised from the deposit in the earth to the surface of theearth or higher.

In oil wells of a depth of 3,000 feet or more the casing is V61/4 orless in diameter, and while I could use the said casing as my outerconduit 2 if it were made strong enough to stand about 4,000 lbs. persquare inch pressure, I do not care to in this case, because thelstandard casings used at present in the oil wells is very light, so Imake my pump body 4 about 41/" in diameter to permit of drawing the.same out of the well in case of sanding up. It should be noted howeverthat in the event of heavier casing I could eliminate making my pump togo inside of the oil well casings and use the said casing as my conduit2. While I do not care to be limited in my scope to any mentioned sizesI merely mention same to show the novel construction of my pump in viewof the small size of the oil well, and how to make a practical pumpconstruction that will operate efficiently one must do actualexperiinenting. In a 3,000 foot. well the velocity of the liquid at thenozzle will be over 350 feet per second, more or less, and lthe size ofthe nozzle about 1/8, more or less in diameter, so therefore it canreadily be seen that there is the need for a screen 9 to prevent thenozzle from clogging up, this screen being one of my importantimprovements.

Also when one considers that the pressure in the chamber 8, whichchamber is also a novel in'lprovement in view of the art, is thepressure due to the 3000 foot head plus the pressure of the force pumpwhich will be over a. 1,000 lbs. per square inch making a total of over2,550 lbs. per square inch in chamber 8 in a 3,000 foot oil well or over3,000 lbs. per square inch in said chamber 8 when used in a 4,000 ft.oil well.

Also in an oil well pump where the pressure at the lower end portionwill exceed 2,500 lbs. per square inch it is impossible to lift a checkvalve off its seat without resorting to some mechanical means.

My pump body 4 is any elongated cylindrical casting comprising means inits upper end portions 14 to permit of threaded engagements 3 and 6 forsecuring conduits 2 and 5 respectively thereto. In said body 4 I core,to one side of the center two longitudinal passageways 7 to permit theforcing liquid, from the respective space between the said conduits 2and 5, to pass or flow through the body 4 from the upper portion 14thereof to the chamber 8. Chamber 8 is provided in the lower end portionof the body 4 and is cylindrical in formation, it is enclosed by theside walls 13 and permits of a screen 9 to be installed over theentrance 15 to the nozzle 10. This chamber 8 is enclosed on its lowerend portion by a removable plug 16 which has threaded connection withthe body 4. Chamber 8 also ermits the removing of the nozzle 10 for repacement etc. By referring to Fig. 7 the central formation of chamber 8will readily be seen.

Above the chamber 8 I have provided a crosswall 17 which extends acrossthe body 4, and into this wall I screw my nozzle 10. The passageways 7terminate at the lower portion 18 of this wall 17. Above wall 17 is acompartment 11 which provides access to the body 4, from the oildeposit, this cornpartment 11 being opened to the oil deposit forsubstantially half the diameter of the body 4, and on the outer diameterportion is encased by a perforated screen '19 which is secured to thebody 4 by screws 20.

Above the said compartment 11, is another cross wall 21 in which I screwmy venturi 1.

Formed integral with and on the upper portion of this wall 21 I providean outwardly disposed lug 22 to permit the securing of conduit 5 to thebody 4.

While I make the said body 4 of a casting, it is obviousthat means mayappear to those skilled in the art of making the same out of machinedstock in sections, but regardless it appears that the most economicalmeans of making the body 4 is by casting the same.

The nozzle is cylindrical in formation,

the outer diameter being threaded to permit of threaded engagement withthe body 4, the nozzle hole 23 is tapered and terminates in a small tip24. It can be replaced by removing plug 16 and screen 9. The venturi 1,is'cylindrical in formation having its outer diameter 25 threaded forthreaded enagement with the body 4, it being located in a substantiallycentral position in the body 4, and directly over the nozzle 10, theinner diameter or venturi 26 being located central of ared formations 27on either side 25 of same.

It should be noted that I provide a spa-ce between the tip 24 of thenozzle 10 and the iared end 28 of the venturi 1, in this case this space29 is about llth of an inch.

The venturi 1, can be replaced by removing conduitsv 2 and 5 andunscrewing the venturi 1 from the body 4.

Plug 16 is a solid cylinder having threads on its outer diameter forthreaded engagement with the body 4. By the plug 16 the screen 9 can bereadily removed and cleaned or replaced.

Also by the plug 16 enclosing the lower end of the body 4 all pressureof the two columns of fluid will be prevented from entering the oildeposits.

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of cbnstruction herein shown and described, forobvious modifications may appear to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In a pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquidsubstantially identical with the liquid being pumped, an elongated bodycomprising a venturi and a nozzle, located central of the said body, anentrance to the pumping apparatus through the side walls of the body,the tip of the nozzle and the entrance to the venturi being in saidentrance, an enclosed chamber below said entrance, a passageway for thecirculating liquid extending from the upper portion of the body to thesaid chamber.

2. In a pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquididentical with the liquid being pumped, a body comprising a venturi anda nozzle, said venturi and nozzle being in alignment with each other andspaced apart, an entrance to the pumplng apparatus through the sidewalls of the body, a chamber below said entrance, a perforated screen insaid chamber, a passageway for the circulating liquid extending from theupper portion of the body to the' said chamber.

3. In a pumping apparatus adapted to be operated by a circulating liquididentical with the liquid being pumped, a cast body comprising a venturiand a nozzle, a cored passageway extending from the lupper end portionof the body to an enclosed chamber in the lower end portion of the saidbody, the said enclosed chamber being substantially central of the saidbody, the entrance to the said nozzle being in said enclosed chamber, anentrance to the pumping apparatus through the side walls of the body andlocated above said chamber, the discharge tip of the nozzle and theentrance to the venturi spaced apart and located in the said entrance tothe pumping apparatus, means for circu lating a liquid through the saidbody and creating a velocity vacuum in the said entrance to the pumpingapparatus.

WILLIAM FREDERICK McMAHON.

